The present invention relates generally to a screwdriver, and more particularly to a rotating and locating structure of the handle of the screwdriver.
The do-it-yourself (DIY) hand tools are gaining popularity among the consumers. Take the screwdriver as an example. In order to enhance the competitiveness of the screwdriver, the innovative design of appearance and function of the screwdriver is vitally important. As shown in FIGS. 1xe2x80x941 and 1-2, the prior art screwdrivers are formed of a handle 1 and a blade 2. In operation, the handle 1 is held in the hand of a user of the screwdriver such that the handle 1 is rotated by the palm pressing against the top end of the handle 1, thereby enabling the tip of the blade 2 to work on a screw. In light of constant frictional contact of the palm with the top end of the handle 1, the palm is susceptible to skin-swelling or skin rupture. In the event that the screw is hard to work on, an extra effort is called for to enable the blade 2 to work on the screw. With the purpose of providing the remedy, a screwdriver with two-way handle wad introduced to the market, as shown in FIGS. 2-1 and 2xe2x80x942. The screwdriver handle has a handle main body 3 and a grip seat 4 which is pivoted at one end with the handle main body 3 by a pivot 5 such that the grip seat 4 can be turned on the pivot 5 by the hand of a user. However, the screwdriver is devoid of a locating structure between the handle main body 3 and the grip seat 4. As a result, when the grip seat is urged by the palm of the user""s hand in the process of rotating the grip seat, the grip seat is apt to turn toward the handle main body, thereby resulting in failure of the screwdriver to work on a screw. It is therefore readily apparent that the prior art screwdriver described above is in need of a structure for locating the grip seat.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a screwdriver with a locating structure for adjusting the angle of application force of the grip portion of the handle of the screwdriver, thereby resulting in the improvement on the function of the screwdriver.
The foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a screwdriver handle comprising a head end portion and a grip portion. The head end portion is provided in one side with a pivoting block. The grip portion is provided in one side with a recessed slot corresponding in location to the pivoting block. The pivoting block is provided in one side with an axial slide slot for receiving a slide block. Located between the slide block and the axial slide slot is a spring. The slide block is provided with a stepped rod for the clamp of a press block to be put through the insertion hole of the axial slide slot. The grip portion is provided with a receiving space corresponding in location to the axial slide slot for receiving a retaining plate having a plurality of toothed slots. A locating rod is put through the holes of the grip portion and the head end portion. When the handle is in the state of normal use, the stop face of the slide block is urged by the spring such that other end thereof is inserted into the toothed slot of the retaining plate, thereby locating the head end portion and the grip portion. The angle of application force of the grip portion is adjusted by pushing the press block in reverse to compress the spring, so as to cause the side end of the slide block to move away from the toothed slot of the retaining plate. The grip portion is no longer retained and can be rotated freely for an appropriate angle of application force. Upon completion of the adjustment of the application force angle, the press block is let go such that the press block is forced by the spring force of the spring into the toothed slot which has changed its angle. As a result, the grip portion is located at the desired angle of application force.
The structure and the function of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.